Pipe cleaner



June 23, 1931. W. R. LEE

PIPE CLEANER Filed Feb. 2s. 195o NTOR /P ce LIS ATTORNEY E V mw n w Patented June 23, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM R. LEE, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK PIPE CLEANER Application iled February 28, 1930. Serial o. 432,202.

The present invention relates to pipe cleaners and more particularly to the type in which there is employeda ductile stem with fibres radiating therefrom. An. object of this invention is to so arrange the fibres on the stem that the latter is adapted for cleaning the bores of pipe stems of different diameters, while giving a more effective cleaning of a pipe stem bore of any given diameter.

To this and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described; the novel features being' pointed out in the appended claims.

A In the drawings: Y

Fig. l is a plan view of a pipe cleaner embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the cleaner; and

Fig. 3 is a Section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

lVhen a pipe cleaner is madel of uniform diameter throughout, its use is limited to pipe stem bores of certain diameters and in addition one portion of the cleaner is no more effective than another. It has been suggested to form the fibres so as to provide what may be termed a plurality of successive turfts or brushes, but in this arrangement all the long fibres are arranged on both sides of the center of the cleaner stem. This prior suggestionv is not so easily introduced into pipe bores of small diameters as the long tufts act to resist the movement of the pipe cleaner before it can be passed entirely through the pipe bore. Furthermore, such an arrangement does not permit a gradually increased cleaning action throughout the length ofthe pipe cleaner, because once a @large tuft is passed through the bore, the

next tuft merely repeats the cleaning action of the former without any increased brushing action. Y

v Vith this invention, the fibres at one end and substantially throughout one half of the cleaner are short while the long fibres are in the other half of the cleaner, the fibres preferably increasing gradually in length from one end of the cleaner to the other.

This arrangement permits the end of the cleaner with the short fibres to be passed through or substantially through a bore to remove the heavyV material in the bore without resistance to be followed by the longer l cleaner for-med, in this instance, by two in-V tertwisted wires o f ductile metal permitting the stem to bend easily in turning curves in a pipe to be cleaned. These two wires secure fibres 2 which project radially from the stem l. It will be noted that these fibres in this instance, gradually increase in length from one'end of the stem to the other and that all the fibres on one side of the center or middle of the stem are shorter than fibres on the other side.

What I claim as my invention and desire" to secure by Letters Patent is: y

l. A pipe cleaner comprising a stem formed of ductile material, and fibres eX- tending radially from the stem throughout the length of the latter, the fibres gradually increasing in length from one end vof the stem to the other. Y

2. A pipe cleaner comprising a stem formed of ductile material and fibres eX- tending radially from the stem throughout the length of the latter, the fibres adjacent' one end and for a distance extending substantially one half of the stem from said end l being shorter than fibres in the other half of the stem. f

8. A pipe cleaner comprising a stem formed of ductile material, and fibres eX- tending radially from the stem throughout thelength thereof, the fibres at one end of the stem being shorter than the fibres at the other end, and none of the fibres in that half of the stem adjacent the first named stem being so long as libres in the other half of the stem.

. WILLIAM R. LEE. 

